Combination tool



B. R. RITTER COMBINATION TooL July 8, 1930.

Filed April 1o, 1929 .//uzls Egi l Patented July 8, 1930 BOYD RINEHARTRITTER, OF LEWISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA 4COMBINATION TOOL .Application ledApril 10, 1929. Serial No. 353,925.

This invention relates to combination tools and the main object is toprovide a tool which may be used as a yscrew driver for setting screwsor nails in positions not readily reached withan ordinary screw driveror with the hands and for picking up relatively small articles such asbolts, nuts or screwsfrom inaccessible positions around machinery andthe like.

Another object is to provide such a tool which will hold the objectgripped firmly and which may be used with equal facility on either largeor small objects within the range ofits size.

A further object is to provide a tool of this kind of simple and durableconstruction which will be eicient in fulfilling its functions.

The foregoing and other objects together' with means for carrying thesame into eiiect will best be understood from the following descriptionof a preferred embodiment of the invention taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the tool showing the samegrippinga screw.

Figure 2 is a side view of the tool with the jaws closed or in theirinoperative position. Figure 3 is anenlarged end view of the e0 toolshowing the jaws closed; and

AFigure 4 is .a detail view of the jaw operating plate.

Referring now more particularly to the drawinof the numeral 1 denotes ahandle from which is rigidly extended the elongated plunger 2 and therelatively short'sleeve-like ferrule 3- which is of greater diameterthan lthe said plunger and surrounds the same in y spaced relationship.A sleeve or barrel 4 'is slidably mounted over the plunger 2 and issomewhat shorter than the same and has an inwardly extended anddiametrically enlarged socket ormouth 5 at one end adapted to freelyreceive the ferrule 3 as shown. A-

retractile coil spring 6 is stretched between the handle 1- and barrel4, the same being mounted over theplunger 2 within the ferrule 3 andmouth 5 and adapted to normally draw the said barrel 4 towards thehandle.

The free extended end of the barrel 4 also lhas'a mouth or socket 7similar to the afore- I said mouth 5. Gripping jaws 8 are secured bytheir innerends at 9 in recesses 10 cut in the bore 'of the said barrel,and the said jaws are formed of relatively heavy spring material and arenormally divergent toward their free ends. A jaw operating plate 11 issecured to the free end of the plunger 2 and a screw engaging blade orbit plate 12 is suitably secured to the end of the plunger or to '6c theplate 11 and extends therefrom. The said jaw operating plate 11 is ofproper diameter so that it may freely enter the mouth 7 and slots 13 areprovided laterally of the plunger 2 through which the jaws 8 are 65slidably passed. It will be readily understood that the jaws when drawntoward the handle 1 by the spring 6 pulling upon the barrel 4 ashereinbefore pointed out will be constricted or forced together by theplate 11 and so will normally rest upon the blade l2 at some distancefrom its end permitting the use of the tool as an ordinary screw driverwhen desired. The free ends of the jaws 8 have inwardly turned teeth 14wlth 7.5 concavities. in their gripping edges 15 as shown in Figure 3.

In the use ofthe device thevbarrel 4 1s slipped outwardly fromthe handlewhich causes the jaws8 to spread apart and the 80 teeth 14 thereof -passbeyond the blade 12. A screw as shown in Figure 1 may then be placedbetween the said -teeth 14 with its slot or kerf engaging the blade 12and upon releasing the barrel 4 the screw w1ll be tightly 85 gripped.The concavities 15 aid in the grippingv of such objects as screws aswill be understood. The tool may also be used to pick up various smallobjects as will be apparent andl foi-'this purpose the plunger and 90barrel may be made in any lengt v While I have herein set forth acer.ta1'n preferred embodiment of my inventlon 1t 1s understood that Imay vary from the same in minor structural details, not departlng fromthe spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claim.i j

I clalm: In a device of the kind descrlbed, a handle,- a rod-likeplunger rigidly extended from the handle, a disc-like jaw operatingplate rigidly mounted at the end of the plunger oppositely to thehandle, the said Jaw operating plate being provided with oppositely dis-5 posed marginal jaw engaging slots, a screw lade rigidly extended fromthe end of the plunger upon which is mounted the said jaw operatingplate, a sleeve-like ferrule extended from the said handle over the endof the lo said plunger and standing in spaced relation thereto, aplunger sleeve snugly and slidably lmounted over the said plunger, thesame bein somewhat shorter than theA plunger and having at the handleend a dia` l5 metrically enlar ed socket slidably engaging the saidsleeve-li e ferrule of the handle, and having at its opposite workingend a similar jaw socket. adapted to slidably receive the said jawoperating plate, a retractile coil spring mounted over the end of theplunger within the said ferrule of the handle and the cooperating socketof the plunger sleeve, the said spring being stretched at its endsbetween the said handle and the inner end ofthe said socket, iiat,resilient gripping jaws passed through the'slots of the said jawoperating plate and oppositely secured at their inner ends tothe innerwalls of the said f jaw socket, the said jaws being set normallydivergent at their outer ends'and having lhese ends bent inwardly toengage a screw ea 4 Y l v In testimon whereof I a'ix my signature.

. ,BO RINEHART RITTER.

